Sunday, October 27, 2013

Gardening Inspiration.....

I'm feeling super spoilt after a visit with a very inspiring friend on Friday while I was in town!

In exchange for a jar of sweet strawberry jam I was gifted..... Artichokes cut fresh from an amazing bush which is now in its 2nd year of growth and still producing prolifically... I'll be steaming the big one to eat tonight with some home made aioli and pickling the rest for later - YUM!!
A big tub of home-grown honey. Yes, that's right, my friend has her own beehive in town in her backyard and it's amazing. Her garden produces oodles thanks to the bees helping with pollination and I'm now itching to get myself all set up with a hive of my very own.
A big jar of the most delicious tasting home-made tomato relish I've had in a long time...
And a big box of hand-me-down toys for my littlest guy - they've been played with non stop since we got home on Friday afternoon, I love hand-me-downs!

Thanks Ang, you and your amazing husband are a burst of gardening inspiration that I was in desperate need of and I can't wait to meet up again in a couple of weeks...

So.... Do you grow artichoke? How do you like to eat them?

Do you get fresh, local honey where you are? Or, do you have a hive of your very own at your place too?

What preserving gifts have come your way of late??? I'd love to know...

Your friend sounds like pure gold Jodie! People like this who inspire us should be treasured shouldn't they?

I have not had great success with artichokes, but perhaps I should try again. I am terrified of bees but love the 'idea' of having a hive. Just last week I made a coconut and jam slice, substituting the jam with what I have left of your cumquat marmalade, it was delicious.

Wow! What a bountiful blessing from your friend. I do love artichokes, but have never grown them here. I usually steam them and use a mix of mustard and mayo for dipping sauce. I have never had them pickled, but sounds like it would be good. I do buy honey from a local source and always with the comb in it. I love fresh non processed honey, and it also helps with allergies if from bees in your local area. I love honey on hot butter scones. Seeing your artichokes makes me want some soon.

Absolutely can not go past homemade pesto!! My 9 year old LOVES it and uses lashings of it on everything (and I mean everything) when we have it in supply. Looking forward to the warmer weather and my basil plants start producing abundant leaves.Our school held a cake stall at the Election Day polling booth and I bought some homemade "Bread & Butter Cucumbers". Yummo!!! A total winner! As for artichoke I must admit I know nothing about them and haven't even tasted them before. Must add it to my bucket list.

Believe it or not, I have never had an artichoke. Don't know the first thing about fixing them either. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have had avocado. We always had a huge garden, but there are some things my husband was always faithful to plant, and some things he preferred not to. Like peas, we both loved them, but he said they were too much work. Personally I think the garden was all about "work", but it with all the work came a great harvest. It felt good to be able to reach for a jar of canned produce from the pantry. Heaven only knows what you got when you bought it from the store. My cousin in Texas has a small farm. She has bees and gets plenty of honey. She and her hubby even have bee keeper outfits. We can buy it around here at the local markets, but my daughter has a friend from work who keeps bees and she always treats me with a jar now and again.Susanne :)

i love your gardening posts Jodie, they're keeping me motivated because I'm an amateur vegie gardener with a reputation of letting the plants die! ( Hubby is very helpful though). I can't bring myself to eat artichokes since I was sick after eating them one night when I had morning sickness with my first baby. We're lucky to get fresh honey from my parent's in laws farm, a lovely old man gives my mother in law drums of it in exchange for keeping his bees on the farm. It's much nicer than bought honey. Have a great week :)